Sat images of our new slice

So I’m bringing home my first yacht, 40’x12’ 22,000 lbs of aluminum. One of the impetuses to purchase a boat this size is I have an interesting place to keep it near my house, but it’s primitive living, on the hook. This little cove is unclaimed off my buddies property and we want to sneak in there on a permanent basis. So now comes the part(s) I need help with. I’ve been around boats and docks but I’m not too experienced with operating in normal circumstances and even less in unique circumstances like this. So I thought I’d let you guys in on my process here. What’s the ideal way to set up anchoring points for us in this location?

This is a large river, with mild current here, and medium/ heavy traffic. The ramp is where I’ll be keeping the dinghy and car access. I may be able to use the unused dolphins as tie points if we want, which would be great of course, as they are massive steel members. The closest dolphins are 100’ space and the wider gap is 130’ so I could theoretically just tie right between them in line. But we may want to be tucked a little farther behind in the cove, less prominently displayed and more protected from drift wood, wind, and wakes. But looking at sat image there seems to be a ghost ship already hiding under there, which may present a problem. I may be able to do some winching and clear that away suitably. Ideally we would be facing the bow NE away from shore to deal with wakes. We get large ships and barges all the time so hammering us athwart ships wouldn’t be ideal.
So what’s the best setup for this scope of use? Line off each corner? Is there any info on using anchor buoys or setting up a mooning like this? I don’t think we have room to swing, so it will be a fixed orientation.

Here’s the image

Create a mooring with anchors.

Usually 3 large (surplus?) Danforths.

They use oversized 1/2 or 3/4 or larger chain to a center then normal sized chain to an anchor ball, and line or chain to the boat.

These can be removed when its time to move on.

The usual question is water supply , sewer dump, dink landing ,mail, car parking etc.

A mooring will allow the boat to point into the wind , mostly, so the boat will ventilate properly.

Not sure there is any "unclaimed" property above or below the water anyplace in the US....so I have to ask...how do you know? Does your buddy own or lease the riparian rights?


Also the unused dolphins......until some tug/barge shows up? What's their history?


Inside the dolphins looks nice.... either the mooring FF described but that wont keep you single orientation or buy 4 oversized anchors and set out a box with mooring balls. you will wind up using a dingy to connect 3 lines and tow the boat into position....but for what you want and survive big wakes and weather...not a lot of options.

Set two proper moorings, one for a bow line and the other for a stern line. For that size boat dealing with ship wakes you need something substantial for the bow mooring (assuming you are setting up bow into the wakes. I would make the bow mooring about 500 lbs if steel (mushroom or pyramid) or 3000+ lbs if concrete or stone with a length of heavy chain (1" or so) equal to depth changes on the river then a 5/8" chain to the mooring ball. You can make the aft mooring lighter, say a 200 lb mushroom.

Hopefully this saves you from more grief later...

WAC 332-52-155

Anchorage.

(1) What is the length of time that a vessel may be moored or anchored on state-owned aquatic lands? Persons shall not moor or anchor a vessel in the same area on state-owned aquatic lands for periods longer than thirty consecutive days or for more than a total of ninety days in any three hundred sixty-five day period. For purposes of WAC 332-52-155, "in the same area" means within a radius of five miles of any location where the vessel was previously moored or anchored.
(2) Are there places where the time limit does not apply? Subsection (1) of this section does not apply where the federal government, a county, a city, a state agency, including DNR, a port, or any other public entity with authority has posted, enacted, or adopted different anchorage or moorage restrictions. Persons shall observe restrictions specific to the locality. Additionally, persons may exceed this time limit if:
(a) Granted express consent by either DNR or the lessee of the state-owned aquatic lands where the vessel is moored or anchored; and
(b) Anchorage or moorage does not violate any other law or rule.
(3) Any violation of this section is an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW.
[Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.30 RCW and RCW 43.12.065. WSR 09-05-034, § 332-52-155, filed 2/11/09, effective 3/14/09.]

https://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=332-52-155

Depending on the reflected wakes.... and wind and current up/down the river...the stern mooring(s) may need to be substantial too.


Mushrooms tend to work best when there is routing 360 degree pulling to work them into the bottom....of course depending on composition.

THe reflected wakes are pretty minimal because of the cove and beach here. I get the point about wind and pointing into it, however I think the main enemy here will be wakes which can come at any time so I think a fixed orientation outward through the dolphins is what we want. Yes, the land is leased by my friend, so I have permission to anchor here for more than 30 days, and around here there are bigger fish to fry than us anyway (we hope) but I will keep you posted about that as it unfolds.
So when you are saying a 3 anchor mooring are you describing three anchors tied together in a shape like a Mercedes symbol?
It sounds like the best option is to tie up to one of the dolphins with a heavy 1” chain, then from that a single nylon line to the bow, and then maybe two stern anchors that are connected via chain, with another chain off the center of that to a stern line?

I suppose it would be kinda neat if we could allow the tail to swing back and forth maybe 60 degrees while keeping the bow fairly fixed into the wakes, this would allow us to compromise into the wind a little. Is it the weight of the extra heavy chains that help accomplish positioning of the boat, while still having some give?

How does this look? Blue is chain, white is nylon.

who do the dolphins belong to?

The land owner who leases to my friend. They haven’t been used in decades. This is a heavy industry site that has fallen to the weeds and time

Well, as long as the law is on your side and those dolphins are fair game..I would definitely use them.


Those with 2 stern moorings to allow a 60 degree swing like you want sounds appealing to me.

Where’s a good place to buy 1” chain?

They also have some good shipping deals.

https://www.1st-chainsupply.com/cha...vKGoHovP8WhUj46_hqLZVzP2ABWrkMqBoC0KsQAvD_BwE

I'm a big fan of swinging on a mooring. You could lay your own with short scope heavy chain. I used to make permanent moorings by filling 45 gallon drums with concrete with a chain embedded. Weighed about 1100 pounds. We were using less than 2:1 scope at high tide.

You might not need as much room as you think to swing.

FF said:

Create a mooring with anchors.

Usually 3 large (surplus?) Danforths..

Click to expand...

SeaWorld, if you are looking for a large Danforth, I have a big azz one sitting in my garage that I could make someone a good deal on. I don't know the weight of it, but I could weigh it if you're interested.

I'd even deliver it to the Seattle area as we'll be coming over there in early June for the arrival of a new granddaughter.

PM me if you're interested.

Would a single stern line with about 80’ line and a single bow line that’s heavier and shorter to the dolphin work? I was even thinking maybe use a heavy weight in the middle of the bow line to help pull the boat forward, and I could reverse against it lifting it when we hook up th stern line? Hard to describe. But maybe not need dinghy to retrieve stern line.

"I get the point about wind and pointing into it, however I think the main enemy here will be wakes which can come at any time"


If not yet fitted a gymboled range fitted with fiddles and pot holders might save someone from a scalding.

What about a couple of large logs (rafted if necessary) spanning two of the dolphins. Then side tie to the inside of them. They would serve as a dampener for boat wake, and I think it would be a lot easier to come and go from a side tie that from a three point mooring. In fact, I think the three point mooring is probably a disaster waiting to happen given the close proximity of the dolphins, land, and the other dock, coupled with cross winds and boat wake.


Even better would be two sets of logs, one outboard of the dolphins, and another tied to the inboard side. Then you would be tied to a more stable raft.


Oh, or maybe you could still get a section of the Seattle floating bridge and place that against one of the dolphins. That would create an amazing wake dampener, and you could establish a small village on top of it if you wanted....

Side ties and large freighter wakes might be more of a problem than free moored in my experience....unless there is a significant breakwater engineering that is well secured.

Hmm, logs do arrive with regularity especially this time of year, however that would need to happen after initially setting up somehow, and I’d need a more powerful dink than I have probably. And being 100’ between dolphins would mean I’d need to chain several logs together end to end. But, it’s a great idea that I may examine later. We do have a mini tug nearby who’s main purpose is dragging home large found objects.

The galley is currently pretty spartan. Doesn’t look like a stove was ever installed, just a dorm fridge and a sink at the moment. Sink dumps overboard so I’m guessing I’ll need to put a Y valve on it for legal. Same with shower.
I like the gimbal idea but I’ll see how much we rock n roll first to see if it’s necessary. The in-deck hot tub might stabilize us enough.

Here’s what I’m thinking. Use the weight on front chain to pull her forward and keep her in general position there, but allow slack if I reverse hard enough to pull up weight. Maybe that’s what heavy chain accomplishes too, although I could come up with a weight for less than big chain costs. Maybe 200 lbs of concrete with an eye bolt cast into it?

Greetings,
Mr. SW. The name for that "weight" on your forward chain is a kellet.
Sinking a Myth – The Anchor Kellet

Sea Word said:

Here’s what I’m thinking. Use the weight on front chain to pull her forward and keep her in general position there, but allow slack if I reverse hard enough to pull up weight. Maybe that’s what heavy chain accomplishes too, although I could come up with a weight for less than big chain costs. Maybe 200 lbs of concrete with an eye bolt cast into it?

Click to expand...

Just think about how you are going to maneuver in there, pick up the bow mooring and secure it, then pickup the stern mooring and secure it, while not getting your prop fouled, all with a cross wind blowing like hell, and a side current.

twistedtree said:

Just think about how you are going to maneuver in there, pick up the bow mooring and secure it, then pickup the stern mooring and secure it, while not getting your prop fouled, all with a cross wind blowing like hell, and a side current.

Click to expand...

Right. That’s what I’m thinking about.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. SW. The name for that "weight" on your forward chain is a kellet.
Sinking a Myth – The Anchor Kellet

Click to expand...

Ah yes, a Kellet! So many things I’ll be learning for the first time, and some even for the second and third!

Hmm, however the description listed doesn’t address the way I want to use it, my situation being unique in that I have the option of “anchoring” at the water surface, and use the kellet as a means to generally tension the boat to a particular position. If wind pushes the boat against it and raises the kellet, that won’t matter so much for the stern anchor because it will be slack at that point anyway.

So the rated size for docking etc is 5/8 but that seems a little small for anchoring permanently. Is 1” a better choice for that?

"So the rated size for docking etc is 5/8 but that seems a little small for anchoring permanently. Is 1” a better choice for that?"

The stretch ability of nylon is what usually keeps loads in check.

Thin line should stretch , where thick line may simply rip the cleat out.

A 1 inch line would fit a 16 inch cleat .

Sea Word said:

So the rated size for docking etc is 5/8 but that seems a little small for anchoring permanently. Is 1” a better choice for that?

Click to expand...

What's unique about your situation is that you won't swing into the wind and current, and mooring/anchoring gear sizing assumes that you will.


Your worst case will be broadside to both the wind and the current creating a much larger load. Then, to make matters worse, your line/chain angle will not be in line with the load, but rather close to perpendicular. I'd have to dust off some very old trig to figure it out, but the pull force on the lines will be many times large than the broadside load of the boat.


Unfortunately I can't tell what size is needed, but just suggest you get someone who can figure it out, or just go really, really big on everything.